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Invasive Alien Wasps in South Africa: Target Species and the Threats They Pose

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Invasive Alien Wasps in South Africa: Target Species and the Threats They Pose About the project: What can you do to help? The Invasive Wasps Project is a research We are still pinpointing the exact distribution project with both eradication/infestation of both wasps in South Africa. If you see either control and communications components. of these wasps, please: The IWP project is managed by a consortium - Provide us with clear, close-up of researchers from the following institutions: photographs Stellenbosch University, the South African National Biodiversity Institute, the University - Provide us with locality information of Cape Town, the Agricultural Research – any landmarks or GPS co-ordinates Council, CapeNature, and Iziko Museums. will help us locate the wasps The project is researching the feasibility of - Provide us with details of Vespula eradicating both invasive wasps from South germanica nests or large (larger than Africa or, failing this, investigating ways to A5 paper size) Polistes dominula prevent their spread to new areas outside nests. their current, limited distribution. This is Invasive Alien - Give us your contact details in case necessary to avoid future human injury, we need to follow up and large scale biodiversity and economic Wasps in impacts. target species and South Africa: the threats they pose WůĞĂƐĞƵƐĞĐĂƵƟŽŶǁŚĞŶĂƉƉƌŽĂĐŚŝŶŐĂŶLJǁĂƐƉƐƉĞĐŝĞƐ͘ Invasive Wasp Project Contact Details DƐĂƌŽůWŽŽůĞ͗ĚŵŝŶŝƐƚƌĂƟǀĞŽŽƌĚŝŶĂƚŽƌ E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 021 799 8652 Dr Ruan Veldtman: Research Coordinator E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 021 808 9441 Ms Karla Haupt: MSc student – Vespula germanica E-mail: [email protected] Mr Pc Benadé: MSc student – Polistes dominula E-mail: [email protected] DƐĂƌŽůŝĞŶǀĂŶLJů͗WŚƐƚƵĚĞŶƚʹEĞƐƚŽďƐĞƌǀĂƟŽŶƐ E-mail: [email protected] May 2013 The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) is mandated to conserve South Africa’s rich biodiversity. Its Invasive Species Programme: EDRR, funded by the Department of Environmental Affairs, aims to reduce the threat of biological invasions through detection, identification, assessment and management of invasive species that may be contained or eradicated ,ĂǀĞLJŽƵƐĞĞŶƚŚĞƐĞǁĂƐƉƐƉĞĐŝĞƐ͍ ŝĚLJŽƵŬŶŽǁ͍ Two exotic social wasps (of the family Vespidae), Vespula germanica and Polistes dominula, have now become naturalised in the south western part of Western Cape Province of South Africa, adding to the number of invasive social insects that now occur in the Fynbos biome (such as the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile). Scientific name: Vespula germanica Scientific name: Polistes dominula Common name: German wasp Common name: European paper wasp more yellow on black antennae wavy markings The German wasp, Vespula germanica (sometimes called The European paper wasp, Polistes dominula (length: 20-30 abdomen on abdomen “yellow jacket”) (length: 15-40 mm) is a significant invasive mm), is a recent arrival (2008) but has rapidly spread about orange alien wasp. It is known to have caused human deaths (severe 50km from its point of introduction (Brackenfell) and is now antennae allergic reaction to sting); damage to natural ecosystems common in the regions of Kuilsrivier and Stellenbosch. The when native insects are preyed upon; and damage to fruit invasive Polistes dominula competes directly with our native crops before harvest when attracted to ripening fruit. paper wasp species (e.g. Polistes marginalis) for food and Internationally it has invaded Argentina, Australia, Canada, nesting sites to the extent of reducing the native populations Chile, New Zealand, and the USA. Vespula germanica is and thereby disrupting natural processes. When present, the a danger to humans because of its aggressive nature, wasp is common on lawns where they forage for caterpillars especially if the nest or the immediate area around it is and other prey. disturbed. Individual wasps attracted to food with meat Polistes dominula nests are always above ground and protein (e.g. ham or beef) in environments such as open-air can be distinguished from those of Vespula germanica in restaurants can be persistent and sting if chased-off. V. germanica usually builds nests below ground in the that the nest cells (normally ranging from 20 to 200) are soil, although ball-like above ground nests can be The Vespula germanica nests are papery and are normally visible on the underside of nests. The nests are flat and formed in built areas. built underground, however in urban settings they do follow the form of the surface they are attached to (usually sometimes produce the paper ball-like nest above ground buildings: under a roof and against a wall). This wasp is under ceilings or inside wall cavities. A single nest may have not normally aggressive to humans but can sting when 500 to 5,000 wasps, although the record in South Africa is the nest is disturbed, or if the nest is very large (increases 750,000 wasps. Please be careful when near nest entrances aggression), or if you accidentally step on a foraging wasp – the number of wasps leaving the nest entrance or when barefoot (i.e. on garden lawns). Under suburban returning gives an estimate of nest size. This wasp currently conditions nest removal from an individual property may occurs from the Cape Peninsula to Somerset West and in have little effect on visible wasp density, as wasps forage the Boland as far as Franschhoek. Research is currently 100m or more from their nest and neighbouring properties underway to determine if there is any further spread. could still contain nests. Photo credit: Pc Benade; E Marais; S van Noort; P Addison Invasive Alien Wasps in South Africa: target species and the threats they pose May 2013.
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